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June 12, 1923. v 1,458,375

F. AIKEN IGNITION APPARATUS Filed Jan. 31. 1921 IEVVENTOR.

@M M QMw (5231/ ATTORNEY.

Patented June 12, 1923.

FRANK AIKEN, or ELKINS PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T 'ATWA'IER KENT UNITED STATES PATENT oF IcE.

MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

IGNITION APPARATUS. Application filed January 31, 1921. SerialNo. 441,273.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK AIKEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Elkins Park, county of Montgomery, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Apparatus, of which the following is'a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for producing electrical ignition for combustible charges or mixtures, such as are utilized in internal combustion engines, on motor vehicles and the like.

In accordance with my invention, two or more spark plugs are employed for producing simultaneously two or more sparks in each combustion chamber or cylinder of the engine, an induction coil being provided for each set of plugs, at least two of the induc tion coil primaries being connected in series with each other, and means provided for rent, as a stora e battery, whose one terminal connects with the common return co'nductor or ground G, which may be the metallic or conducting mass of the en ine, ve .hicle frame or body, or the like. T e other terminal of the battery connects through the ignition circuit controlling switch I, when" 0 osed, with two or more induction coil primaries P, P connected in series with each other and the timer or interrupter comprising the stationary contact a and the co-acting movable contact Z), the latter actuated or controlled by the cam c driven by the shaft h, which is in turn driven, in well knownmanner, in definite speed relation with respect to the main shaft of the engine, which, in the example illustrated, comprises thefour cylinders or combustion chambers 1', 2, 3 and 4. The contact Referring to Fig. 1, B is a source of curb is connected to ground G, and the contacts a, Z) are shunted as usual by a condenser C.

ings are the high tension secondary windmgs S 8*. One terminal of the secondary S connects with the rotating distributor D and similarly, one terminal of the secondary S connects with the rotating distributor D These distributors may be rotated by ,(the same shaft h which rotates the cam c, or may otherwise be synchronously driven with the cam c. The distributor D comes successively into communication with stationary contacts connected, respectively, to the spark plugs 79 of the different cylinders or combustion chambers; and similarly, the distributor D comes successively into communication with the stationary contacts connected, respectively, with the second set ofspark'plugs p of the different cylinders or combustion chambers. In the position shown, the plugs p and p of combustion Inductively related to the primary windchamber 3 are being simultaneously fired,

that is, sparks are being simultaneously produced at the plugs p and p of cylinder 3. Separate igniting sparks, particularly when materially separated from each other, aid in producing effective ignition of the combustible mixture or charge. As the distributors D and D rotate, the plugs of the olifl'erent cylinders are simultaneously brought into communication with the secondaries S and S In starting the engine, unusuall fat sparksare desirable, particularly when the engine cold; and during the starting or cranking period, the production of a pluralityof sparks simultaneously in each com- "bustion chamber may be dispensed with.

Accordingly, one or more of the primaries, but less than all of the primaries, is or are short circuited, whereby both the resistance and inductance effects of. the primary or primaries are removed from the primary cir euit, with resultant greater voltage applied to and current in the remaining primary or primaries, causing fatter or hotter sparks at the remaining plug or plugsof each cylinder or combustion chamber.

In the example illustrated, wheretwo primaries are shown in series with each other one of them, as P, may be short circuited by bridging the contacts 025 and e,'as by member F, the member F serving also to bridge the contacts f and 9 through which the motor M. which may comprise the armature A and the series field is energized from the battery B to crank or start the engine. the member F being operated either by hand. or the foot, the same being depressed in opposition to a spring. not shown.

When the primary P is so short circuited, the inductance and resistance ot the primary circuit are materially reduced. with the resultthat the ma nitude of current traversing the primary i is increased. with resultant greater energy in each spark producing impulse delivered by the secondary S As soon as the charges are ignited in the engine and it runs under its own power. the current through the motor M is discontinued by rise of member F. and simultaneously the primary P is brought into circuit. and thereafter all the secondaries deliver spark producing impulses to the different sets of spark plugs. \Vhen the switching structure for energizing the starting motor and for short circuiting the primary is employed as described. the contacts 0 6 may he bridged before. after or simultaneously with the bridging of the contacts 7' and 9.

As indicated in Fig. 2. less than the total number of primaries may be short circuited by a separate and independent switch, such as a push button switch d, e.

Inasmuch as two or more distributors are employed, two or more interrupter structures may be employed. as indi 'ated in Fig. 2, these interrupters having, respectively, the cam 0 driven by shaft h. contacts a and Z), and cam 0 and contacts a 5. In such case the distributors D and D may rotate with the shafts 7:. and kl. As indicated, these interrupters may beconnected in parallel with each other, with a common shunting condenser C. Or when a plurality of interrupter structures is employed in order to furnish means for employing a plurality of distributors, one or more of the interrupters may be idle, and a single interrupter employed, as in Fig. 1, for interrupting the. primary circuit,

For example, where the battery B is a socalled six volt storage battery, each of the primaries P and P may be a so-called three volt primary. When one of the primaries is short circuited, the other primary then is subjected to the full battery voltage, or substantially six volts, with greatly increased current flow and greatly increased energy in the spark producing impulses of the secondary Winding.

The apparatus described is also of great advantage in effecting good or sufiicient sparks for starting when the voltage of the storage battery or source B is for any reason very low. For example, in cold weather the vol. ge of a storage battery is low and under such conditions. by short circuiting one or more of the primaries, sufficiently fat sparks will nevertheless be produced for starting purposes. ()r in'case the battery voltage is low for any other reason. as for example. lack of charge. or because of lack of charge aggravated by low temperature, short circuiting one or more of the primaries as described will effect satisfactory starting sparks.

It is preferred that the spark plugs, as p, which are employed during the starting period when one or more of the induction coil primaries is or are short circuited, shall be those located near the intake valves, to assure prompt and effective starting ignition.

lVhat I claim is:

l. Ignition apparatus comprising a plurality of induction coils having their primaries connected in series with each other, means for interrupting the current through said primaries, the secondaries of said induction coils delivering energy to different spark-producing devices. and means for short circuiting less than all of said primaries.

Q. Ignition apparatus comprising a plurality of induction coils having their primaries connected in series with each other, means for interrupting the current through said primaries. the secondaries of said induction coils delivering energy to ditterent spark-producing devices, a storage battery in series with said primaries, and a normally open switch which when closed short circuits less than all of said primaries. whereby the voltage impressed upon the remainder is increased.

3. The combination with a multiple cylinder engine, of a plurality of sets ofigniting devices therefor, an induction coil for each set of igniting devices, the primaries of said induction coils connected in series with each other, means for interrupting the current' through said primaries, a distributor intervening between each induction coil secondary and a set of said igniting devices, and means for short circuiting less than all of said primaries.

4. The combination with a multiple cylinder engine, of a plurality of sets of igniting devices therefor, an induction coil for each set of igniting devices, the primaries of said induction coils connected in series with each other, means for interrupting the current through said primaries, a distributor intervening between each induction coil secondary and a set of said igniting devices, and switching means for short circuiting less than all of said primaries, whereby some of said sets of igniting devices are rendered inoperative and sparks of increased intensity are produced. at the remaining igniting devices.

5. Ignition apparatus comprising a. plurality of Sets of ignition devices, an in action, coil for each set, a distributor intervening between each induction coil secondary and a set of said devices, the induction coil primaries connected in series with each other, a plurality of interrupters connected in parallel with each other and each comprising stationary and movable contacts and a cam controlling their co-action, one of said distributors rotatin with each of said cams, and means for s ort circuiting less than all of said primaries.

.7. The combination with an internal combustion engine cylinder, of a plurality of spark plugs for said cylinder, one of said spark plu located adjacent the intake valve, a p urality of induction coils having their primaries connected in series with each other and their secondaries co-acting with the different spark plugs, and means for short circuiting the primary of an induction' coil other than the induction coil supplying energy to said spark plug adjacent the intake valve.

8. The combination with a combustion chamber, of a plurality of spark gaps therein, a plurality of induction coils having their primaries connected in series with each other, a source of current in circuit with said primaries, the secondaries of said induction coils connecting with the different spark gaps, current-interrupting means in circuit with said primaries, and means for discontinuing production of sparks at some of said gaps and simultaneously increasing the spark intensity at the remainder of said gaps comprising switching mechanism for short-circuiting some of the primaries of said induction coils.

9. Ignition apparatus comprising a plurality of induction coils having their primaries connected in series with each other, a source of current, means for interrupting the current delivered by said source through said primaries, the secondaries of said induction coils delivering energy to different spark-producing devices, a motor receiving current from said source for cranking the engine with which said sparkproducing devices are amociated, and means for short circuiting at least one of said primaries, whereby notwithstanding decrease in volt e at the terminals of said source when de ivering current to said motor sparks of relatively increased intensity are efi'ected by interruption of the current through the remainder of said primaries.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afiixed my signature this 28 day'of January, 1921.

FRANK AIKEN. 

